SUICIDES.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume X, Issue 515, 23 February 1883, Page 9

S UICIDES.

Mb. Clabk Bell recently read a paper on suicide before the Medico Legal Society of New York. He presented some remarkable statistics in regard to this crime of self-murder -which has been for* some time increasing at a rapid rate in the United States and Canada. Scarcely a day passes without the Pre<w having to chronicle several cases of suicide. Last week the New York Herald published a list of these unnatural crimes, that filled two closely prnted columns, and these were the horrible woik of only one day. The United States, however, do not furnish the most suicides, but stand third lowest on the scale according to a given number of population, Denmark furnishes 288 suicides to each ten thousand inhabitants, Saxony, 251; Switzerland, 206; France, 110; the United States, 40 ; and Portugal only 7. Ireland averages only 16, while in England and Wales the number is 68. It has been ascertained that more men than women resort to self-destruction,— in fact the proportion is in general three men to one woman, although the latter become the victims of .their own violence much earlier in life. Suicides increase in proportion to age.but the largest number occur between the age Of twenty-five and fifty-five. The following table, compiled by Dr. O'Shea, showing^a given .number of suicides, gives the causes of. selfdestruction and the proportion of men and women :—: —

It will thus be seen that suicide in- the large majority of cases, ifi but the climax of criminal . and dissipated lives. Legislators are divided as to the advisability of punishing those who would survive the violent attempts on their own livee. Some consider suicide a purely personal matter and a crime with which the law cannot deal. Mr. Clark, however, thinks that the verdict of experience tends to show that punitory laws are-beneficial-when- strictly, enforced. The State of New York has just made unsuccessful attempts to make self-destruction a felony, aad punishes the would-be suicides by imprisonment. The evil cm never be abated by mere statute. ..What is wanted is a more mnral and religious training for our youth and more virtuous lives among the old ones.-- ZV«e Witness.

Causes of Suicide. Men. Grief caused by loss of" parents, etc 373 Grief caused by ingratitude of children ... 137 Grief caused by departure of children ... 20 Grief caused by separation of family 35 Forbidden love ... ... ' ... ... . 938 Jealousy between married couples and between lovers 229 Grief "at quitting a master or a house ... ... 63 Gambling ... • ... ... ... ... 157 Laziness ... *„ ... 76 Debauchery ... ... ... ... 1,569 Drunkenness ... ... ... ... 2,761 Women. 103 74 20 IB 628. 118 24 1 4 233 441